ANGELS CAMP – An Angels Camp police officer and two Calaveras County sheriff’s deputies were injured during the apprehension and arrest Wednesday afternoon of a man charged with kidnapping, child endangerment and a variety of other counts, according to a report.

The Record

ANGELS CAMP – An Angels Camp police officer and two Calaveras County sheriff’s deputies were injured during the apprehension and arrest Wednesday afternoon of a man charged with kidnapping, child endangerment and a variety of other counts, according to a report.

Angels Camp police reported that an officer was dispatched around 12:25 p.m. Wednesday to the 1400 block of South Main Street after several callers reported a man – accompanied by two small children – walking in traffic and acting irrationally, ranting about demons and hitting passing vehicles.

Soloman Fleming, 24, a resident of Tacoma, Wash., was identified by police as the man in the street. He reportedly broke the side mirror completely off the door of one passing vehicle.

As police and sheriff’s deputies were arriving, Fleming picked up one of the children and began running south in the traffic lane of South Main before jumping down an embankment onto Park Avenue where officers caught up with him. There, Fleming struck one of the officers in the face multiple times, causing a serious injury that caused the officer to be transported later by ambulance to Mark Twain Medical Center for treatment.

Meanwhile, according to a police report, Fleming managed to remove pepper spray from another officer’s belt before he was restrained and handcuffed with the assistance of a sheriff’s deputy. A passing motorist who witnessed the altercation stopped to assist with the care of the children, who were unharmed and ultimately released to the custody of their respective mothers.

The two deputies who were injured in the fight were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The injured police officer was released from the hospital later Wednesday.

Fleming was transported for a medical clearance prior to being booked into the Calaveras County Jail on suspicion of multiple charges related to kidnapping, mayhem, resisting a peace officer, resisting a peace officer and removing a weapon other than a firearm, battery on a peace officer with serious injury, and child endangerment.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Angels Camp police with completing the investigation into Fleming’s actions and his involvement with the children.

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